A Push in the Right Direction
by Aille
Summary: What was it that drew Jasper into city the day that he met Alice?


Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, in any way, shape or form. I love to read the books, but I sure don't own them. Stephenie Meyer does. This is simply a tribute to the Twilight series. I am making no money from this and I'm just enjoying sharing my own crazy ideas.

This was originally posted in 'The Fandom Gives Back' compilation.

Thank you to my beta Hippogryph_tamer, without whom this wouldn't have the same depth & the spelling, would have been horrendous.

**A Push in the Right Direction**

He couldn't understand why he was in this city, tempting the monster that resided just below the surface. He'd been hungry for so long. His last meal had been almost two weeks prior and he knew his eyes were the deepest of blacks. The fire in his throat burned as if the very pits of hell raged there. It was never quenched; it was appeased, but never went away, not in almost a century. He didn't want to give into it; he'd done what he could to avoid civilization since his last meal almost a month before.

There was something that drew him into the city streets, like an invisible string that pulled him further into the paved jungle. He was almost grateful for the rain that poured down on his head, dampening the smells of the humans who gave him a wide berth, and the inevitable smell of refuge that permeated any city. The overpowering stench of sweat, human and animal excrement and rotting food flowing through the sewers below that would normal waft up and settle in his over sensitive nose.

He skirted around the prone figure of a bum on the street; making note of where the drunken sop lay for a later dinner and continued, down the weaving streets. He'd been living the life of a nomad for almost ten years now after leaving Maria's clutches. He already felt the guilt of wanting to feed, but he was starving. The feeling that pulled him, almost promised contentment.

He could feel the stares that he was starting to attract, even with his duster pulled tight around him and his Stetson hiding his eyes. There was something about being a predator in the midst of prey, they could tell, even if they didn't know for sure that there was something wrong. Yet, that wasn't what continued to pull him along these streets.

He'd only felt something like this once before with Peter and Charlotte, sixteen years prior. They'd tried to hide it from him, from Maria, yet they couldn't from him. Nothing could mask that bright light in a sea of darkness. Letting them escape Maria's clutches was one of the only noble things he'd done in the near century of bloodshed. When they'd come back five years later to save _him_, he couldn't pass up the opportunity of his own freedom.

He'd stayed with them for a while, enjoying the softer, yet still strong emotions that they gave. However, the despair and depression that had haunted him for nearly a century still plagued him each time he hunted. He knew that his emotions were affecting his only friends and taking away from their own happiness, so after a few years of living as a small coven, he'd left them to go travel on his own. He knew that they had tried to hide how they were feeling from him, but it was hard to hide from an empath. He also knew that his own feelings of dispassion were starting to affect their own love life and he felt that it was unfair to force his own emotions on others. He'd had to do it for too long with Maria. They'd settled somewhere in the mid-west, far enough away from the South to have the general peace they'd been looking for, no longer having to fight to keep themselves alive each day.

He hoped that someday he may find the peace that his friends had seemed to achieve. Although it had been better over the past decade, away from the constant battles and senseless killing, he still couldn't seem to find what he was looking for. Yet, something in this God forsaken city was calling to him. He'd ignored it the last time he'd been through this part of the country two years previous. He wasn't sure why, but as much as it intrigued him, it also bothered him at the same time. It wasn't something that he'd every associated with his own life. Not with the few fleeting memories from his time before this curse, nor with his new life. It was peaceful, turbulent, awe inspiring and deathly frightening at the same time.

This all encompassing feeling actually tugged at him, like a hook in his chest, leading him through the maze of streets. He couldn't tell you how he'd gotten to this particular street, or even what it was. It was strange for him not to know exactly where he was at any given time. That, in itself, was enough to make him leery about what he was being lead to.

He lifted his head just a bit to take notice of where he was. He knew if he wanted to stay somewhat inconspicuous while staying in the city, he'd have to get out of the rain soon. Humans didn't wander around in the pouring rain like he was doing now. Yet that tug that was pulling him forward was becoming more insistent, almost if someone had wrapped him in steal and was pulling him along now. He couldn't even contemplate not following it now. There really wasn't much for him to go to. Most of the buildings seemed to be living spaces, yet there was a small cafe that was open.

He couldn't feel anything that would bother him coming off the building. There was a strong sense of excitement, some boredom and lust tinged with disappointment. He didn't think the tug was coming from here, yet he decided to go in any way to wait out the rain.

Stepping under the eve of the doorway, he took off his hat before opening the door and stepping in the building. He may have lost his humanity all those years ago, but he still remembered the manners his mama instilled in him. Without the constant rain pouring down around him, dampening out both sound and smell, he could pick up the heartbeats of seven different people. Yet, surprisingly, the only scent that assaulted him was a combination of fresh linen off the line, and a combination of bluebonnets and magnolias. He'd never smelled anything so wonderful in his un-life.

In the moments that it took to breathe in, a quick movement drew his eyes to the counter, where a small woman, no vampire, jumped down from the stool she was on and started toward him. His first instinct was to brace for a fight, yet he couldn't bring that ever present soldier to the surface. Even from a small distance, he could tell that she would barely come up to his chest. Her hair was so different from the styles of the past, yet fit her tiny frame, while it accentuated the beauty of her golden eyes and pixie like features.

The female stopped in front of him and it was if something snapped inside when her voice touched his ears, like chimes being lightly brushed together as she said, "You've kept me waiting." Her hands were on her small hips and a smile played on her lips. It was if everything washed away when she was there. "I'm sorry ma'am. I'll never leave you again."

He'd do anything and everything to see her smile like that again. She was everything he'd been missing and so much more. He could already feel her love for him pouring off her and he was certain that he'd loved her long before he'd set foot in this city. He'd never make her wait again. The pull had stopped, however steel bars were now wrapped tightly around his heart and his re-awakening soul. His world had shifted and forever shackled him to this vision that stood before him, never to be let go again. His cold dead heart had been revived in the blink of a human's eye and the vampire who'd thought he'd know nothing but pain had found peace.


End file.
